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The Electric Prunes

The Electric Prunes were an American psychedelic rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1965. The band's original lineup consisted of James Lowe (vocals), Ken Williams (lead guitar), Mark Tulin (bass), Michael "Quint" Weakley (rhythm guitar), and Preston Ritter (drums).

The Electric Prunes gained fame with their hit single "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)" in 1966, which reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song featured a distinctive sound, with its use of distortion and echo effects on the guitars and vocals, which became a hallmark of the band's style.

The band released several other singles and albums in the late 1960s, including "Get Me to the World on Time," "Kyrie Eleison," and "Mass in F Minor," which was a rock interpretation of a Catholic mass. However, they struggled to maintain their commercial success and underwent several lineup changes over the years.

The Electric Prunes disbanded in the early 1970s but reunited in the 1990s, with Lowe, Williams, and Tulin returning to the lineup. They continued to perform and record new material, including the album "Artifact" in 2001.

The band's influence on the psychedelic and garage rock genres has been recognized by later musicians and critics, with their music being cited as an inspiration by bands such as The Jesus and Mary Chain and The Black Angels.

Psychedelic band from Los Angeles, California. Evolved from surf/garage bands The Sanctions and Jim and The Lords. -GSH


The Electric Prunes I  (1965 - mid-1966)
  • James Lowe - autoharp/harmonica/guitar/vocals - b. San Luis Obispo, California
  • Mark Tulin - bass/keyboards - b. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Ken Williams - guitar - b. Long Beach, California
  • Michael Weakley (aka, "Quint") - drums
  • James "Weasel" Spagnola - guitar/vocals
Released single: "Ain't It Hard" b/w "Little Olive"

The Electric Prunes II (mid-1966 - late-1967)
  • James Lowe - autoharp/harmonica/guitar/vocals
  • Mark Tulin - bass/keyboards
  • Ken Williams - guitar
  • Preston Ritter - drums - b. Stockton, California
  • James "Weasel" Spagnola - guitar/vocals
Albums:
  1. "Electric Prunes" (1967) - Single: "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)"
  2. "Underground" (1967) - Michael Weakley (aka, "Quint") and Mike Gannon appear on some cuts.
Preston Ritter leaves with second album ("Underground") half-finished.  James "Weasel" Spagnola leaves due to medical reasons.

The Electric Prunes III (late-1967 - early-1968)
  • James Lowe - autoharp/harmonica/guitar/vocals
  • Mark Tulin - bass/keyboards
  • Ken Williams - guitar
  • Michael Weakley (aka, "Quint") - drums
  • Mike Gannon - guitar
Albums:
  1. "Live Stockholm '67" (1997) - live recording
  2. "Mass in F Minor" (1968) - Concept album featuring Gregorian neo-classical and psychedelic rock music; also featured Canadian rock band The Collectors.

The Electric Prunes IV (early-1968 - mid-1968)
  • Mark Tulin - bass/keyboards
  • Ken Williams - guitar
  • Mike Gannon - guitar
  • Kenny Loggins - guitar/vocals - b. January 7, 1948, Everett, Washington - formerly with Gator Creek.
  • Jeromy Stuart - keyboards
Kenny Loggins joins Second Helping, then Loggins and Messina, and later has successful solo career.

The Electric Prunes V (mid-1968 - early-1970)
  • John Herren - keyboards - b. Elk City, Oklahoma
  • Mark Kincaid - guitar/vocals - b. Topeka, Kansas
  • Ron Morgan - guitar - d. 1989 - formerly with Three Dog Night.
  • Brett Wade - bass/flute/vocals - b. Vancouver, Canada
  • Richard Whetstone - drums/vocals - b. Hutchinson, Kansas
Albums:
  1. "Release of an Oath: The Kol Nidre" (1968)
  2. "Just Good Old Rock 'n' Roll" (1969)
Group disbands.

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Last Revised:  April 13, 2000
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